SHCA publishes new report on learnings from specialised commissioning delegation so far

The Specialised Healthcare Alliance (SHCA) has published a new report setting out learnings from the delegation of specialised commissioning since April 2024, and lessons for the upcoming full delegation from April 2025 onwards. You can read the full report here.

In autumn 2024, six months on from the delegation of specialised commissioning responsibility from NHSE to some ICBs, the SHCA conducted a listening exercise to gain a better understanding of how delegation is working in practice, with a particular focus on how it is shaping patient experience. The SHCA spoke to a number of charity members, ICB commissioners and other relevant stakeholders about their experiences of delegation so far, and their thoughts about the future of specialised commissioning.

The report sets out the benefits and challenges of delegation from the first six months, and makes recommendations for the future to ensure a smooth transition from commissioning at a national to local level across all ICBs from April 2025. The following themes came through strongly:

• Delegation presents opportunities to join up patient pathways across different care settings

• There is a risk of unwarranted variation arising from the differing approaches to specialised commissioning across the country

• Charities are concerned about the challenges involved in engaging with ICBs post-delegation

The listening exercise confirms that there is recognition from all stakeholders of the transformative potential of delegation for improving patient pathways and experience, but that greater collaboration between all partners – including patient organisations – is required to successfully seize the opportunities and mitigate any risks.